iClicker Questions for
Psychology for AP® , 2nd edition
by David G. Myers
Karla Gingerich, Colorado State University
Allison Herzig, Langley High School
Unit IV: Sensation and Perception
Racial and ethnic stereotypes can
sometimes bias our perceptions of
others' behaviors. This best illustrates
the impact of:
A.
B.
C.
D.
retinal disparity.
interposition.
top-down processing.
perceptual adaptation.
The fact that perceptions involve more
than the sum of our sensations best
illustrates the importance of:
A.
B.
C.
D.
top-down processing.
interposition.
retinal disparity.
visual capture.
Which of the following is true?
A. Humans cannot sense stimuli below the absolute
threshold.
B. Humans cannot be affected by stimuli below the absolute
threshold at all.
C. Stimuli presented below the absolute threshold can have a
subtle, brief effect on behavior.
D. Stimuli presented below the absolute threshold exert a
strong, powerful effect on behavior.
If you move your watchband up your
wrist an inch or so, you will feel it for
only a few moments. This best
illustrates:




A.
B.
C.
D.
parallel processing.
accommodation.
sensory adaptation.
Weber's law.
As we look at a flower, the intensity of
the color we see is related to the light
wave’s:
A.
B.
C.
D.
amplitude.
hue.
length.
placement on the spectrum.
The eye’s “blind spot” is related to:
A. light rays focusing too far in front of the retina.
B. light rays focusing too far behind the retina.
C. a cluster of cells around the fovea which contains
cones, but no rods.
D. an area without receptor cells where the optic
nerve leaves the eye.
Rather than saying a person is
“colorblind,” it would be more accurate to
say that the person:
A. has a blind spot.
B. lacks red- or green-sensitive cones.
C. is experiencing an overstimulation of the red- and
green-sensitive cones.
D. has an excess of blue-sensitive cones.
The hammer, anvil, and stirrup are found
in the:
A.
B.
C.
D.
middle ear.
inner ear.
cochlea.
outer ear.
What is umami?
A. a savory, meaty taste sensation for which
researchers recently discovered receptors on the
tongue
B. receptors on the tongue that respond only to
bitter tastes
C. receptors on the tongue that allow us to taste
nutrients in food, such as proteins and vitamins
D. a condition in which there is a loss of the
sensation of taste
As you talk with a friend at a party, her
voice is distinct from all the other voices
you hear. This illustrates the perceptual
principle of:
A.
B.
C.
D.
grouping.
proximity.
closure.
figure-ground.
The way in which you quickly group the
individual letters in this test item into
separate words best illustrates the principle
of:
A.
B.
C.
D.
closure.
proximity.
continuity.
convergence.
Makers of 3-D movies rely most heavily
on:
A.
B.
C.
D.
the visual cliff.
the Müller-Lyer illusion.
retinal disparity.
shape constancy.
After hearing that Bryce had served a
prison sentence, Janet began to perceive
his friendly behavior as insincere and
manipulative. This best illustrates the
impact of:
A.
B.
C.
D.
perceptual sets.
visual capture.
bottom-up processing.
sensory adaptation.
If a person were able to sense that his
friend’s dog was lost and needed help,
this person would be said to have:
A.
B.
C.
D.
psychokinesis.
telepathy.
precognition.
clairvoyance.
Critical Thinking Questions
Which of the following activities
requires you to use the absolute
threshold for sensation?
A.
B.
C.
D.
telling the difference between sweet and salty
detecting a tiny, faint light on a radar screen
deciding if two glasses contain the same amount of water
telling if your guitar is in tune
As a professional chef, which of the
following sensations would you rely on
most?
A.
B.
C.
D.
hearing
seeing
balance
smell
Your roommate, who has trouble
understanding Weber’s Law, asks you, “How
different do two stimuli need to be, in order
for a person to notice the difference?” You
explain that:
A. the stimuli must differ by at least ten percent.
B. the difference threshold decreases with the magnitude of
the stimulus.
C. the minimum difference needed for detection depends on
the type of stimulus.
D. Weber’s Law does not address this issue.
Researcher James Haxby (2001) stated, “We can tell
if a person is looking at a shoe, a chair, or a face,
based on the pattern of their brain activity.” This
statement is relevant to:
A.
B.
C.
D.
sensory adaptation.
feature detection.
opponent-process theory.
place theory.
As we perceive the environment, we use Gestalt principles
of good form to help organize things into meaningful
groups and forms. In observing a football game on TV we
are immediately able to recognize the players as members
of their respective teams, regardless of their positions on
the field. Which Gestalt principle is most responsible for
this ability?
A.
B.
C.
D.
closure
proximity
similarity
continuity
In the same football game, we watch as a team attempts a
field goal. Since the goal posts are distant and the time to
make a decision is short, the referee must use many
perceptual cues to decide whether the kick is good or not.
One important ability is depth perception. Which of the
following cues might be most helpful in deciding whether
the field goal is successful?
A.
B.
C.
D.
linear perspective
motion parallax
convergence
interposition
You are an artist and you are interested in completing a
painting that gives a three-dimensional appearance.
You want to show a beach in the foreground of the
painting, people swimming in the ocean, and sailboats in
the distance. Which perceptual principles will be most
helpful as you complete your painting?
A. binocular depth cues
B. monocular depth cues
C. Gestalt principles of proximity and continuity
D. perceptual principles only operate in “real life”
situations
You are most likely to observe the phi
phenomenon while:
A. looking at a string of Christmas tree lights that
blink quickly in succession.
B. staring at a Necker cube.
C. comparing the size of the moon while its in the
sky to its size near the horizon.
D. attempting to catch fly ball that is quickly coming
toward you.